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A8
news
Guardian www.guardian.co.tt Saturday, January 30, 2016
CAMILLE CLARKE
Estate constables with the
National Maintenance Training
and Security Company Ltd
(MTS) are planning to stay away
from work next week after they
failed to get their back pay which
was due yesterday.
The agreement to accept a ten
per cent wage increase for the
period 2010 to 2013 was signed
last year June.
However, this year, Finance
Minister Colm Imbert promised
the Government would settle
back pay promises made by the
previous administration by Sep-
tember.
In an interview yesterday, Pres-
ident of the Estate Police Asso-
ciation, Steve Smart, said: "There
will be a little ruction. We have
no control of workers taking
action and we can't sanction a
strike. They seem so depressed
and they signed the agreement.
You can't sign an agreement
knowing you have no money. We
gave them six months and on top
of that they were disrespectful to
inform us that they don't have
any money. Officers are upset
over this point in time and they
(organisations) will be affected."
MTS Chief Executive Officer,
Lennox Rattansingh, said the
company was owing $49 million
to the workers but the debt could
not be honoured by Government
at this time.
"As you aware, the government
can't honour the negotiations.
The public, the police, nobody is
being paid."
Rattansingh said he was
advised by the Ministry of
Finance that a bond would be
issued to pay all outstanding back
pay.
"I have been CEO since 2006
and settled two negotiations. It
is just a matter of time, they need
to be strong, we not laying off
anybody, we keeping people
together and I paying them new
rates right now. I need them
remain on the job," he said.
Meanwhile, workers said they
were despondent and several offi-
cers made plans in anticipation
of receiving their back pay.
"We want them to be more
creative to motivate the officers
and the recruitment system needs
to be beefed up to attract workers.
They are turning off people from
the initial stages with the way
they talk to people," one of the
workers said.
When contacted, President of
the Unified Teacher's Association
Devanand Sinanan said schools
could not function if the security
officers do not show up for duty.
"If they don't show up prin-
cipals will take appropriate
action," Sinanan said.
Members of the Guard and Emer-
gency Branch and the Defence Force
yesterday seized a quantity of ammu-
nition at Production Drive, Sea Lots,
Port-of-Spain.
Police said that 94 rounds of .38
ammunition, 2.7 kilogrammes of mar-
ijuana and an electronic scale were
seized at Lover's Lane.
The ammunition was concealed in
a pair of black socks, police said.
A report said around 9 am, the
officers were on patrol in the area
when they noticed two men in a
shack.
The officers went to investigate and
the men ran away.
Officers said the patrols were main-
taining attempts to curb crime in hot
spot areas.
MTS security officers to
strike over no back pay
Ammo, ganja found in shack
Soca artiste Shurwayne Winchester performs his hit, Truck Driver, among spectators during We on B
Square series in Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. PHOTO: ABRAHAM DIAZ
BIG TRUCK